


Bonus round 4 - fill 3

by oyogihodai (alder_knight)



Series: SASO 2016 fills [15]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drag Queens, Dysphoria, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Homophobia, Not Beta Read, Parades, Pride, Queer Themes, To Be Edited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 18:30:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7543348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alder_knight/pseuds/oyogihodai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><a href="http://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/15224.html?thread=6876280#cmt6876280">Prompt</a>:</p><p>
  <i>"The worst part of Pride each year is riding the subway late at night and seeing the gay guys, mostly the ones riding by themselves, slowly take off their rainbow stickers and beads and what-not in preparation for their walk alone in their neighborhood, doing their best to prevent the off-chance of being jumped. I saw one guy with a flag in his bag turn it upside down so it wouldn't poke out.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>"So yeah, fuck that heterosexual pride day nonsense."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bonus round 4 - fill 3

**Author's Note:**

  * For [horchata](https://archiveofourown.org/users/horchata/gifts).



> rated T for the world is a Terrible place

He scrubs his face clean before he goes home. 

One of the older queens offers a packet of makeup remover wipes, and he accepts, shyly, gratefully. Mentally, he makes a note to pick some up at the store when he gets a chance. He has so much to learn. 

He changes quickly, feet sore from the long walk in heels somehow still protesting the black men's loafers that replace them. He folds his dress, puts it in a wheeled case with his glittery shoes and stockings and underthings and flower crown. He's buttoning up a dark, collared shirt when a warm hand lands on his shoulder and he about jumps out of his skin. 

“How’s it going, Matsuoka-kun?”

Rin doesn't have to turn around to know who it is. He tries to slow his racing heart. “Hi, Tachibana-senpai,” he replies.

“Ah, did I startle you? I'm sorry! I thought you could see me coming up in the mirror.”

Rin raises his eyes to the mirror and sees the giant beaming student liaison for this community center towering behind his own seated form. Tachibana Makoto isn't Rin’s type, he's pretty sure, but he's such a sweetheart that Rin might have a bit of a crush on him anyway. Then again, who doesn't? 

His eyes fall back to his own reflection. He looks pale and plain and feels less like himself than ever. 

“It's okay. I was just thinking.”

Makoto nods, takes the seat beside Rin’s suitcase. “Did you have a good time?”

Rin nods. He can't quite put it into words, how important being in this parade was for him, but Makoto seems to understand. He smiles warmly. 

“It was wonderful to have you march with us. You got a lot of compliments from the crowd. Plus,” he adds with a laugh, “the queens can't get over how gorgeous your hair is - they all thought it was a wig.”

Rin’s face warms. “Thank you,” he says, and, “my mother and sister have hair like this, too.” He regrets it immediately; he doesn’t want to think about his mother and sister right now.

“Well, you're the envy of half the Tokyo drag scene,” Makoto says. “Not bad for your first Rainbow Pride, eh?”

Rin nods again. Again he says, “Thank you. Really, I mean it. This was… I've never felt so… accepted? I've always felt like I was hiding, I’ve always been… ashamed, I guess. But being out in the street with everybody else… I just couldn't be ashamed of that. You know?”

“I do know,” says Makoto. “It's one of the reasons I started volunteering here. It felt important. I'm really glad you decided to come, Matsuoka-kun.”

Rin runs his finger along the silk petals of his flower crown. Tiger lilies, he'd worn, vibrant orange with yellow and maroon. A silver-haired butch had suggested Tiger Lily might suit him as a name, if he ever decided to perform. That seems pretty far fetched, but all of this is new to Rin. Before he moved to the big city on sports scholarship and met Tachibana from the inter-university gender and sexual minority student group, he never would have believed he’d be here today. Who knows what the future might bring?

Rin zips closed his wheeled bag, nondescript black. He stands up.

Makoto stands as well. “I should get back to helping get the center set up for our Pride mixer tonight. Would you like a hug before you go, Matsuoka-kun?”

Rin is feeling so vulnerable it's painful and he wants nothing more than to push away this offer of more support that he doesn't deserve, but he wills his anxiety to be still. 

“Actually, yeah,” he says, “please. If that’s okay -”

Big arms wrap him up and hold him, safe, and he's overtaken by surprise as he feels his throat catch. He's not crying here, though, not now. He clears his throat, holds onto Makoto a moment longer. Then Makoto releases him and he retreats back into himself, preparing to leave this space.

As he heads for the door, he checks his own reflection once more - no stray glitter, no forgotten rainbow stickers. He looks the part he's always had to play. 

“Rin-kun,” says Makoto gently as Rin reaches for the door, “get home safe.”

Rin pauses. He nods, thanks _Makoto-senpai_ by his first name, and steps back out into the world.

**Author's Note:**

> I had to play a little fast-and-loose with Actual Gay Life in Japan, which, fun fact, is even more fucked than where I live. GREAT. Let it be known that Makoto is a saint in this canon as in all others, good grief. His life would be SO HARD. MY HEART.
> 
> I HAVE UPSET MYSELF. GOODBYE.
> 
> (uh other fun fact, I wrote this fill on my phone in the back of a moving vehicle. SASO DEDICATION.)


End file.
